Live and Otherwise: The Beat Goes On
Electronic music is everywhere. Wherever you look, the rapidly growing house and progressive scene inspires new fans and continues to foster new levels of infamy. Even the Grammy Awards were no stranger to this, though this was a microscopic sliver of what the EDM (electronic dance music) community represents (and according to the SPIN author of [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM Tags: Deadmau5 dubstep EDM electronica local music Mikey Pro Music phoenix music Prince$$ Skrillex TABS techno tempe music William “Fucking” Reed
Live and Otherwise: The Strangelove of St Ranger
When asked to describe their music, what are the first words that come to mind for St Ranger manager (and member) Jeff Taylor? ”Well… music for sure.” Though his answer elicited much laughter from my end, his more-serious contribution was akin to the truth. Made up of members Jake Ashton, vocalist Bruce Kimura, guitarist/vocalist Andy [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM Tags: ASU indie pop st ranger tempe music
Live and Otherwise: Nobody Gets Out Without Singing the Blues
The rhythm and soul: Not only are these the lyrics/title to a terrific Spoon song, they are also the key elements for a blues-infused ensemble to succeed. If a group doesn’t have that distinct swagger that produces satin-smooth grooves, there’s no reason for them to be included in any soulful sphere of sound. Luckily Tempe’s [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM Tags: Black Carl Crescent Ballroom rhythm soul Tempe band
Live and Otherwise: The Spectrum of Love
The ever-commercial-laden institution of Valentine’s Day fast approaches with all the subtlety of a derailed freight train; the idea of love has been everywhere the eye can see. The hearts, the pink confections, the overall message l’amour have been jumping out from every retail enterprise in a five-mile radius. However, they seem to be missing [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM
Live and Otherwise: Collaborator Conspiracies
Think: Two artists for the price of one. No, Amazon has not decided to have an mp3 sale this week; rather, it’s an observation that collaborators on songs have been on the rise. These days there can be duets, trios, mash-ups, or original song collaborations on any layman’s playlist. The trend of a “two-for” has [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM
Live and Otherwise: Greener Pastures
Reinvention: What once was becomes a transfigured relic of past transgressions. While some may struggle with it or find unbridled success, the fact remains that change is not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of artists go through these active periods of reinvention, these new chunks of creativity forming new pieces of musical fanfare. In [...]
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Live and Otherwise: River Jones Music Night
Local music is always there to fulfill the yearning for good music — at least the Arizona scene is. Thriving with musical prodigies and talented acts, the Arizona music selection is both diverse and brilliant. So this Saturday, instead of sitting on your couch and watching the fifth season of Bones again, go out and [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM
Live and Otherwise: Cover Me Crazy
In a world filled with creative musical stylings that produce new tunes (good or bad) every year, the arena of the cover song could seem unnecessary. But in the capable hands of a talented artist there is always the chance of a song’s evolution to that next level. The vastly different perspective that two artists can [...]
Categories: Blogs Live and Otherwise SPM

